You have already known about Homophones in English. These are the words that have similar pronunciations but with different spellings and meanings. In this session of English grammar, we would be learning about Homographs.
You might have probably come across words which have the same spelling but different meaning. Do you know what these words are called?
What are Homographs?
Homographs refer to the pair of words which have the same spellings but different meaning. They may or may not pronounce it the same way. You might wonder, but the difference in pronunciation describes the shift in accented syllable.
Examples of Homographs with Meanings
Following is a list of common homograph words along with their meanings in English:
| Word | Meaning 1 | Meaning 2 |
| evening | late afternoon | making more even |
| entrance | the place of entry | to bewitch, delight or enrapture |
| down | in a lower position | soft, furry feathers |
| discount | a reduction in price | to underestimate the significance of or give no credence to |
| digest | a condensed version of some information | to change food in the stomach into a form that can be absorbed by the body |
| desert | a hot, arid region | to leave |
| coordinates | brings into proper place or order | a set of numbers used to calculate the position |
| contract | an agreement | to get, acquire or incur |
| content | happy or satisfied | all that is contained inside something |
| compound | to mix or combine | an enclosed area with a building or group of buildings inside |
| compact | small/to make small | a small case for holding makeup |
| bustier | an undergarment | more busty |
| buffet | to hit, punch or slap | a self-serve food bar |
| bow | to bend at the waist | the front of a boat/a pair of tied loops |
| bat | a piece of sporting equipment used in baseball | a winged animal associated with vampires |
| bass | a deep voice or tone | a kind of fish |
| axes | the plural of ax or axe | the plural of axis |
| attribute | a characteristic or quality | to think of as belonging to or originating in some person, place or thing |
| agape | wide open | a Greek word meaning “love” |
| accent | stress or emphasis | a manner of speaking or pronunciation influenced by the region in which one lives or grew up |
| wound | turned | an injury |
| wind | to turn | moving air |
| tear | to rip | a drop of water from the eye |
| subject | under some authority or control | to make liable or vulnerable |
| second | 1/60th of a minute | after the first |
| row | a fight | to propel a boat forward using oars/a line |
| refuse | waste or garbage | to reject or decline to accept |
| number | a numeral | /to count/more numb |
| putting | the present participle of put | the present participle of putt |
| project | a plan or proposal | to throw or hurl forward/to cause a shadow or image to fall upon a surface |
| produce | to create or make/ | fresh fruits and vegetables |
| proceeds | advances or continues on | the money or profit gained from some sale or venture |
| object | a thing you can see or touch | a goal/a noun that receives the action of a verb/to be opposed to |
| moped | acted sad or gloomy | a bicycle with a motor |
| minute | 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour/ | extremely small |
| lead | to go first with followers behind | a type of metal |
| incense | a substance that produces a pleasant odor when burned | to infuriate or make very angry |
| frequent | occurring regularly | to visit a place with regularity |
| fine | very good/sharp or keen/ | /a sum of money paid to settle a matter |
Conclusion:
With this extensive list of Homographs along with examples and meanings, you would be able to use them in your daily life without being confused or making any mistake. Happy Learning with EnglishBix!
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